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" v vsneet-sheet 1. J. ROBBRTSON.

IEORMING., ELONGATBD ARTICLES FROM BILLETS 0F Patented n HEATEDMETAL.

si! IIIIIII Il! N C5555 MW.

(No Model.) 3 Smetssheet 2..

J. ROBERTSON. NG ELONGATBD ARTICLES PROM B ILLBTS 0F APPARATUS. FOR FORMI .HBATED METAL.

j,Llgaizented Mar. 21 1893. ,f

FEE-

lllll Il (No Model.) l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J.R0BERTS0N. l I y APPARATUS POR EORMING ELONGATED ARTICLES FRGM BILLETS 0F HEATED METAL.

No. 493,945.- Patlented Mar. 21, 1893.

FTE 7- Q43 J4@ J E20 q a v l M A w .s ["l'E E J4 197 WITNESEEE.: INVENTQR:

" formed to contain a billet of Y UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.-.

JAMES ROBERTSON, OF MANOHESTER,.ENGLAND.

APPARATUS `FOR FORMING ELONGATED ARTICLES FROM BILLETS OFV HEATIEDv METAL.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Lettersatent No. 493,945, dated'March 21, 1893. Application liled July 15, 1892. Serial No. 440,151. (No model.) Patented in England July 6. 1891, No. 11.436.

.To all whom it -may concern."

Be it known that I, JAMES ROBERTSON, of Manchester, England, have invented certain newr andusefnl Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Elongated Articles from Billets of .Heated Metal, (for which British Letters Patent No. 11,436, dated July 6, 1891, have been granted 1116,)01? which the following isa speciiication.

This invention has for its object to providev simple and efiicient apparatus for forming elongated metal articles, of tubular and other form', from billets of metal heated to a soft state, and-it consists mainly in an apparatus comprising a metal holding cylinder which is longitudinally movable in both direct-ions in a fixed holder, said die being internally plunger, fitting said die and adapted to enert pressure on one end of a billet in the die, and thereby canse the metal to exode from the opposite end of the die; and a tixed reducing die or former separate from the cylinder and metal; a ram or' arranged to partially support the rear end of the billet, and thus canse the compression of the billet when 'the ram first commences its action on the billet, the die or former being shaped and. arranged so that, after the initial compression of the billet, the pressure of the ram overcomes the frictional resistance of the former to the escape of the metal, so that the metal exudes in contact with the former, and is given the desired shape thereby.

The invention also consists in certain additional improvementsrelating mainly to the arrangement of the reducing die oi-formerg and to a former composed of two parts, one of which is athroat at t-he rear end of the die and made of a diderent diameter from that of the billet, the other being a fixed mandrel separated from said throat by a concentric space, and arranged to co-operate with the throat in forming the exuding metal into a to describe.

.partof this specication: Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of anjapparatus elnbodying one form of my invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar section, -showing the position of the parts at a different stage of the Yseamless tube; allot' which I will now proceed operation from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3

represents a longitudinal section, showing' the apparatus adapted to form tubular articles of smaller diameter than the billets. Fig. 4 represents a section similar to Fig. 3, showing the apparatus at a different stage of the operation. Fig. 5 representsa longitudinal section, showing a moditication of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section, showing another modification. Figs. 7 and 8 represent longitudinal sections, showing another modification. sentsa section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings: A represents along metal holding cylinder, which is adapted to slide in a fixed holder or casing A3. The cylinder is provided with a billet-holding bore or cavity, extending through it from end to end, and is adapted to move inthe direction of the length of the said cavity. In Figs. land 2,

Fig. 9 repre- I show the cylinderatlixed to asliding holder i A2, which is littedto more in a way in the fixed holder A3. In the other figures, the cylinder is shown as fitted direct-ly to the way in the holder A3. I

J .represents a ram, which is formed to closely lit the interior of the cylinder and to slide therein. In the operation of the apparatus, the ram J is forced into the cylinder in lthe direction indicated by the arrows a a, motion being communicated to the cylinder `by any suitable means, preferably hydraulic means.

The ram J may be providedv with a longitudinal hole slightly enlarged at its inner end, in which is placed a secondary ram M, adapted to slide therein, and having a head M titting the enlargement referred to. The said head and enlargement prevent the metal under pressure from pressing the secondary ram backward. The object of the said ram is to push the metal out of the die AR hereinatterde# scribed, a'fter completion of the strokeot the ram J.- y At or near the rear portion of the cylinder A, is located a die or former, the office ot which is to partially support the rear end of the billet against the pressure exerted by tho Iram, thus causing the latter to first compress which construction is adapted to produce a.

solid bar of metal from a billet of larger diameter, the reducing die is shown asa reduced or contracted throat A, held in a fixed y positionwithin the cylinder by means of a fixed tubular stem-rod C, which enters the rear end of ille cylinder andsupports the throat AS. A billet ll (Fig. l) being placed in the cylinder, with its rear end in contact with the throat or reducing die or former As, and the ram being introduced into the cylinder and caused to move in the direction indicated bythe arrows a, the metal of the billet will first be compressed longitudinally, the throat or former AS opposing the pressure-of the ram. At the same time, the eylinder,be ing free to move endwise as described, moves with the metal in the direction of motion of the ram, as indicated by the arrow I), until the metal has been compressed to such an extent that the further pressure overcomes the f rietional resistance offered by the throat or former A". 'lhe metal lthen commences to flow through the contracted opening of the throat, in the form of a solid rod l (Fig. 2), whiclremerges through a longitudinal passage in the tubular stem-rod (l.

(L4 represents a pipe for the admission of water or other fluid `under high pressure to the interior of tho cylinder, for the purpose of cooling the cylinder and ejecting the ram and the formed article or rod, as described in my Letters Patent of the United States, dated August 16, 1892, No. 481,060. It will be seen that the introduction of water in a cold state into the die containing a formed article of hot metal, exerts a quick cooling action, slightly contracting the article, and releasing the hold of the die upon it; also affording a steady force for the removal of the article, with the mandrel or pressure device, from the die or cylinder.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4,5, 6, 7 and 8, of the drawings, the reducing die or former is composed of a lthroat AS, of a diameter differing from that of the billet and the billet-containing portion of the cylinder, and a mandrel which is separated from the forming surface ot' the throat byau annular space, said mandrel cci-operating with the throat in converting the exuding st ream of metal into a seamless tube,instead of into a solid bar as formed by the apparatus constructed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the throat A8 is supported by the tubular stem-rod C,l as in the construction already described, and the mandrel D is affixed to the ram J. rlhe billet ll, before being placed in the cylinder, is longitudinally perforated to receive the mandrel, as shown in Fig. 'lhe advancing movement of the ram causes itto first compress the billet longitudinally, and. then to cause the metal of the billet to exude in the form of a tube through the annular space between the mandrel l) and throat AS, the tube B emerging into the hollow stem-rod, as shown in Fig. 4. In this ease the pipe' U, which admits the fluid under pressure to the cylinder, sconnected to the rear end of the hollow stem-rod C, so that the tube, mandrel and ram are ejected in the same direction.

'lhe construction shown in Fig. 5 is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 3

and l, excepting that the mandrel D is affixed f to a stemsrod D', which is engaged at its rear end with a fixed mandrel-holder K, so that the mandrel does not partake of the movement of the ram, the mandrel being of suflieient length to remain in operative relation to the throat A8 during all the changes of po sition of the cylinder. The pipe (1",in this instance, enters the rear portion of the cylinder, substantially 'as in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 6, the construction is the same asin Fig. 5, excepting that the stem-rod C is omitted, and the throat A8 affixed to the die A by means of a ring-shaped frame A, bolted to the rear end of the cylinder. The mandrel is in this case shown as of a slightly greater diameter than its stem-rod D.

The tubes formed by the apparatus organized as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are of smaller diameter than the billet, and in each case are made from a billet which has been previously perforated longitudinally te receive the mandrel.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and S,

I show means for making a tube of a diameter exceeding that of the billet, and from .a solid billet, or one which has not been previously sists the pressure exerted on-the billet by the ram, and then co-operates with the die in convertin g the exuding metal into a tube of larger diameter than the billet, the tube passing out over the mandrel stem-rod D. In this case, the fluid-admitting pipe C4 is made flexible, and communicates with a longitudinal passage C3 in the ram, so thatthc fluid is admitted through the ram into the cylinder, and

acts to expel the ram by its reaction against the mandrel or against a landing piece composed preferably of two short billets or sections B3 B (Fig. 7), placed in the cylinder in contact with the billet B before the operation, said landing piece serving to impart motion loo tro

to the billet B and tube B', and permit the entire metal of the billet B to pass over the mandrel in the form of a tube without sticking to the mandrel, the latter being received by the landing piece at the close of the operation. These short-billets or sections B3, B6 may be semi-circular in cross section as indicated in Fig. 9, but I do not limit myself to this-specific shape in cross section. A short landing piece B8, of tubular form and composed of one part is shown in Fig. 6, said billet being converted into a cap B4, as shown in Fig. 5. The object of the cap B4 is the same in the construction shown in Fig. 5 as formed tube from the mandrel.

ing piece were not employed, the mandrel at that of the cap B7shown in Fig, 8. The landing piece is particularly for .detaching the If said landthe end of the operation would necessarily be enveloped in a cap piece integral with the tube, and this, piece would have to be cut away to release the tube and the mandrel. The landing piece being separate from the billet permits the ready separation of the tube from the mandrel,and prevents inj uriousheating of the mandrel. `The sectional construction of the landing piece allows the cooling- Water to get more directly to the mandrel D and also allows 'the 'enveloping cap to be removed freely from the mandrel.

The invention involved in the employment of the landing piece is claimed in another application filed by me concurrently with this application and given Serial No. 440,152.

I claim- 1. The improved apparatus for forming elongated articles from billets of heated metal,

the same comprising a cylinder which is 1ongitudinally movable in both directions, a movable ram or plunger frtting said cylinderand gitudinally movable in both directions, a mov` able ram or plunger fit-ting said cylinder and adapted to exert pressure on one end of a billet therein and thereby cause the 'metal to exude from the opposite end of the cylinder, the cylinder being of uniform diameter from its forward end nearly to its rear end and there provided with a contracted throat separate from the cylinder to reduce the diameter of the exuding stream of metal, and a mandrel arranged to co-opera'te with said -contracted throat in forming a tube of less dialneter than the billet, as set forth.`

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 2d day of June,

JAMES ROBERTSON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR C. HALL, ARTHUR H. PoPE. 

